We passed Bois Blanc, and were soon at the dock at Mackinac Island. This
time green trees greeted our view, but the white fort on the hill with
the flag waving over it looked just the same. The people were all out to
greet the first steamboat of the season, it being sometime about the
middle of April, 1852, old grandpa being among the rest. He was glad to
see us, but sorry Charley was not among us. Again we walked the streets
and climbed to the fort. The grass was springing up in the yards, and
all nature told us spring had come. There were happy, cheerful smiles on
people's faces, children were playing in the sunshine.
We had now left the dock and again there was waving and singing on the
dock to cheer us on our way. Our boat moved out past Round Island. There
were great blocks of drifting ice on every side. Near the little island
of St. Helena we almost stopped to keep clear of the ice. We steamed
past Hog Island, with little Hat Island looking white with ice packed
about it. Over to the northward was all ice, which had not yet broken to
drift. We soon were at the McKinley dock at the harbor; freight was
taken on for Green Bay, again the "all aboard" was called and we steamed
along past Big Sand Bay. We could see all the little homes that would
soon be occupied by summer people.